The "small committee" formed by Speaker Lord Allan Velasco has rid the P4.506-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) for 2021 of its controversial definition for "savings."
This was bared by Albay 2nd district Rep. Joey Salceda in a virtual press briefing Monday with House of Representatives reporters.
(Albay Rep. Joey Salceda's office / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
"Pinatanggal yun (That was removed). The discontinuance of projects? We struck it down," Salceda said when asked about an update on the savings provision in next year's proposed spending measure.
The Ways and Means Committee chairman added that it was "fairly easy" for the committee members to arrive at the decision.
It was during plenary deliberations on the GAB last September 29 when Deputy Minority Leader and Bayan Muna Party-List Rep. Carlos Zarate highlighted the problematic nature of the savings as spelled out in the budget bill. Salceda was the measure's sponsor on the floor at that time.
According to Zarate, the new meaning of savings under House Bill (HB) No.7727 or the GAB would give Malacañang "unbridled power" to discontinue and realign funds intended for projects and programs during times of national calamities without consulting Congress beforehand.
"Congress would be performing self-castration if this pushes through and even its limited power of the 'coin purse' would be further constricted. It is like converting the GAA into a blank check for the President's whims," the Makabayan solon said.
"There will be no more debate here in Congress. The Executive will no longer come here in Congress next year to justify why this P4.5 trillion was realigned and why the budgets for different projects in various regions weren't released," Zarate further explained in Filipino.
Salceda agreed with the Minority solon, saying, "Kailangan may basehan kung bakit diniscontinue. Hindi naman kesyo hindi mo gusto yung mukha ng congressman eh ipapa-discontinue mo na (There should be a basis why it was discontinued. You can discontinue a project in a region just because you don't like the face of the congressman there)."
"Naniniwala akong dapat po itong mapag-usapan at kung kailangang lagyan ng mga parametro para mas mapasiguro natin na hindi naman masyadong sobra ang binibigay nating leeway o pleksibilidad (I believe that we should discuss this and if needed, we should put in place parameters to ensure that aren't giving too much leeway or flexibility)," added the budget sponsor.
Following the GAB's third reading passage Friday, Velasco formed a small committee comprised of 14 House members and tasked them to incorporate committee and individual amendments to the budget bill.
Salceda said Monday's meeting was "the fastest ever" by a small committee in the history of the House, suggesting that the members saw eye to eye on the issues concerning the GAB.
He didn't say if a new definition for savings was supplied by the members.